Kanika, a young staff nurse comments, “Now a days, our special newborn care unit has become a joyful place. Mothers are spending time with their sick babies and tending to their needs. Mothers are taught how to care for small and sick babies. They join us for feeding babies with special needs, keeping them clean and warm, and also learn kangaroo mother care. All of these skills are essential for survival of such newborns.”
Dr. Meghna, the attending Pediatrician says, “We have observed that the involved families of newborns allow us to train the mothers on how to care for their babies in a systematic manner in the hospital and continue to care for the child at home as well. This will promote better development outcomes.”
This transformation of Special Newborn Care Units (SNCUs) in Moga district Hospital in Punjab is the result of the intervention: Family Participatory Care (FPC). USAID supported Vriddhi project has trained 57 service providers at SNCU on FPC, demonstrated and equipped them to engage families in the care of small and sick newborns who need special care. Mothers learn alongside nurses, stay close to their babies and carry the newly-learned skills home. As a result they are less anxious bringing them confidence and happiness.
Family Participatory Care is a simple cost-effective intervention using the global Quality, Equity and Dignity Approach, providing a setting in which family is empowered, encouraged and supported as the constant- care provider for sick and small newborn babies from birth until discharge from the SNCU.
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